WHO policies and strategies

The Malaria Regional Programme of the WHO African Region is guided by the resolutions on malaria approved by the Regional Committee of the African Ministers of Health in its 50th Session in 2000 and internationally agreed goals and targets such as the Abuja targets, Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and Roll Back Malaria (RBM) targets.

The main strategies for malaria control are:

Early diagnosis, prompt and effective treatment of malaria cases, particularly among children under the age of five years;

Effective personal and community preventive measures, such as the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying (where appropriate) and other vector control measures targeted at reducing human-vector contact and disease transmission and malaria prevention and control among pregnant women;

Adequate forecasting, early detection and rapid containment of malaria epidemics;

Supportive approaches include:

National policy development and planning including Integration of malaria control with other primary health care and development interventions

Surveillance, monitoring and evaluation

Community based interventions

Capacity building and formative supervision for appropriate program implementation

Advocacy and communication for behavior change

Partnership and resource mobilization at regional and country levels

Research including Operational research to improve programs performance

Following the African Union Heads of State Abuja call in 2006 and the recent call by the UN Secretary General (UNSG) call for universal access to malaria control interventions, the AFRO Malaria program is supporting countries in the African region for accelerated universal access to essential malaria control towards the attainment of the MDGs.